A Child's Destiny
by CaraJade The Jaded Angel
Summary: An alternative version of Link's tale - this came to me in a dream, literally! The first chapter of many, I believe + my first Zelda fic! Yayyy! (I'm inspired by all you excellent Zelda authors out there, but esp. Adele Sessler + Alex Foster - thanx you g
1. The Task

Chapter One: The Task  
  
"Link? Link, are you in there?"  
  
Link raised his head sleepily and called from the warmth of his bed, "Izzat you, Saria?"  
"Yeah, sleepyhead! Can I come in?"  
"Yep," Link agreed, smothering a huge yawn with one hand.  
The thirteen year old sat up and stretched as his childhood friend, Saria, entered with a smile on her face. "Morning. Or should I say, afternoon, lazybones."  
  
Link grinned at her. "I need my beauty sleep, Saria, you know that!"  
  
Saria shook her head and smiled inwardly as she glanced at the tousled blonde hair of her friend, his bangs falling haphazardly over his big blue eyes. She crossed her arms in a vain attempt to be serious.  
"Now, Link, you'd better get dressed and be quick about it, 'cos the Great Deku Tree wants to see you. I don't know why, but it sounded important."  
Ryelle, Link's faerie, flitted gracefully above Saria's head, her lilac wings shimmering in the early afternoon sunlight that filtered through into Link's small treehouse dwelling.  
"You'd best hurry Link, if the Great Deku Tree has summoned you it must be something important." Ryelle piped as she alighted on her friend's shoulder.  
"OK, OK!" Link laughed, "I get it. Thanks Saria, for telling me."   
Saria grinned at him and said jauntily as she got up to leave,   
"any time, sleepyhead."  
  
Link washed and dressed hurriedly in his green tunic, pausing only to flick water at Ryelle teasingly as she fluttered around his head, attempting to annoy him.  
"Get out'a my face you little pest," Link exclaimed in mock irritation, dousing her with water from his cupped hands. Ryelle shrieked and shot away outside like an arrow from a bow. She was hovering watchfully outside when he peeked outside, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight.  
In moments he had worked his way past Mido, who went off in a huff once he realised that Link had been summoned by the Great Deku Tree, and was ambling along the grassy path to the Great Deku Tree's meadow, Ryelle flitting ahead, then racing back to hurry him along.  
Link always felt slightly awed when he came face-to-face with the Great Deku Tree, for the old tree's power and wisdom was greatly respected and revered among the Kokiri, and Link's attitude was no different. Prompted by a minute kick from Ryelle, he approached the great tree and spoke quietly,   
"you wished to see me, Great Deku Tree?"  
"Yes, young Link. I am glad to see that you have come, for I have something of great importance to tell you and a task to entrust to you. I need you to take a message to the King of Hyrule. You will need to leave immediately and be swift in your journey, for Time waits for no one, and Evil is even less eager to do so."  
Link's mind was buzzing with sudden questions, but the Great Deku Tree moved on, regardless of the young Kokiri's apparent need to probe for more information.   
"You will need protection, for the journey may be more difficult then you first perceive. The sword of the Kokiri has been hidden for many decades, unused, for we are a peaceful people. But I fear it is too late to hold to our way of life for much longer, and the sword will be taken up and used once more. It is a shame that its bearer is so young, but this cannot be helped. Go, Link, get the sword from its hiding place and remember this message for the King. Tell him that a great evil has come once again to Hyrule, and he must be ready for it to strike. That is all. Tell him I am sorry do not know more, but it is the best warning I can give. Oh, and Link?" The Deku Tree paused as Link spun back to face him. "This will not be easy for you to hear, but you are not a Kokiri by birth. Your true race is that of the Hylians. You were raised in the forest after your mother was killed by an evil tyrant. She felt that this place would be safe for you, her son, and begged me to take care of you. I asked Saria to watch over you, and she has carried out this task willingly and with much pleasure. I think that Saria will be the one who will be sorriest to see you go, but she knew this day would come and now that it has, we must all accept what follows. She will tell you where to find the sword. Now Link, hurry, and do not delay. The King needs your help."  
Link opened his mouth, unsure what would come out - he had so many urgent questions to ask, about his mother, this evil tyrant who had killed her, the evil that was once again uprising in his homeland - but the Deku Tree intoned solemnly, "no one can answer your questions but yourself Link. In time, you will know all that you need to."  
  
Link nodded dumbly, his head ringing with everything that he had just heard. He hardly noticed when Ryelle landed gently on his shoulder. He turned and ran blindly back towards the Kokiri forest, his home. But it was not his home any longer...  
  
Saria was waiting for him when he came out, and surprisingly, there was no sign of Mido.   
"What's wrong?" she asked immediately, seeing the troubled, confused expression on her friend's face as he struggled to take in everything that he had been told.  
"What happened Link? What did He tell you?"  
"The Great Deku Tree told me...he told me that I wasn't a Kokiri." Link burst out, staring helplessly at Saria.   
Saria.  
She had cared for him ever since he was tiny. She would understand, help him in his task. His words tumbled out, one after the other, and he failed to notice the shocked look in Saria's dark green eyes and then the profound sadness that came over her face.  
"I have to find the Kokiri's sword Saria, the Great Deku Tree told me you knew where to find it, that you'd help me. He gave me a task as well, he said I had to take a message to the King of Hyrule, tell him that evil was uprising in Hyrule and to warn him..." link's words tailed off and he whispered, "how...how am I ever going to do it, Saria? All I wanted was to stay here in the forest with you and Ryelle, I was happy here, oh Saria...I'm not a Kokiri any more..."  
Saria's eyes filled with tears and she pulled Link close to her and hugged him tightly.  
"I always knew..." she managed to mumble through her sobs, "I always knew you would have to leave one day, but I never thought it would be so soon. It doesn't make it any easier now, knowing...Oh Link, I'll miss you so, but I know that you have to go. Come with me now, come on, I'll show you..." she gave a little hiccup, "I'll show you where the sword is..."   
Link followed speechlessly, but feeling he still had so much to say, so many questions to ask of Saria. Ryelle, catching his mood, sat quietly on his shoulder and didn't say anything, which was, for her, a rare thing indeed.  
  
Outside a narrow opening, Saria paused and gestured inside, without looking at Link. "In there." She said softly, sounding as though she was struggling not to cry again. "That's where the Kokiri sword has been hidden all this time. I was the only one who knew about it. I never thought I'd have to reveal its secret and I never thought it would be to you, Link." She glanced up at him quickly, then away again. "But go, quickly. The Deku Tree is right, speed is of the essence now. I too have felt this evil."  
  
Link slipped past her and through the narrow space. There was a dark chamber lit by a single burning green torch, who's glow never flickered or died. Link supposed it must be magic.   
In one corner was a large, dusty chest. It looked as though it hadn't been touched for years, and as Link reflected, it probably hadn't. The Kokiri people were peaceful and hated war. They never were seen with weapons. Link hated to be the one to take up this sword, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. All his life he had been different from the other Kokiri, and never known why, but now that he did, he wished that he was ignorant of it again. Knowledge was a burden, and to him, it was better not to know.  
  
Snapping out of his dismal thoughts at a quiet urging from Ryelle, he nodded his head slightly, to his faerie, who was hovering calmly over the chest and moved forwards, springing the rusty catches with some difficult and taking out the sword, still in its scabbard.  
  
When he exited the chamber with the sword firmly strapped to the belt around his waist, Saria was gone. Sadly, Link turned away and headed for the way out of the Kokiri Forest. He didn't know if he could ever return. After all, if he was a Hylian, he would grow up, and grown-ups were never seen in the Kokiri Forest. He gave the guard who watched the entrance a small smile as the Kokiri moved aside to let him pass, telling Link that he had heard about the situation, and allowed Link to walk out onto the bridge. He knew that his life would never be the same again.  
  
To his surprise, Saria was waiting for him. He looked at her, shy with her for the first time in his life and saw that her beautiful emerald eyes glittered with tears. "Don't forget me, Link," she said quietly, so softly, he had to strain to hear.  
"How could I?" He asked, feeling his own eyes fill up. "I'll never forget you Saria, and I'll come back to see you, I promise."  
"Will you?" She sounded tired suddenly, tired and sad. There was no hope in her voice. "You won't Link, you know. You'll go away and grow up and forget me."  
"Don't say that Saria," Link cried, distraught. "I couldn't! And I won't. You have my word."  
"Goodbye, Link." She whispered.   
There was no need for further words. They had said enough. Link turned away and walked from the bridge, leaving Saria staring after him as darkness began to fall.  
  
'How can you just walk away?  
When all I can do is watch you leave...  
We shared the laughter and the pain,  
And even shared the tears.  
You're the only one who really knew me   
At all....'  
  
  
OK, there's my first chapter everybody (hurrah!!!) and I just stuck the verse in there for good measure - I know a lot of people think its corny, but I thought it was cute and it fit my mood at the time! (That's courtesy of Phil Collins by the way - thanks Phil!)  
And I don't own and of the characters they're property of Nintendo - apart from Ryelle, Link's faerie, who's ( me.   
Right, second chapter on the way soon, I hope - I warn you all this fic's gonna be long, so I'm apologising now, 'K?  
Peace, love and light to you all,  
CaraJade  
  



	2. Ambush

Chapter 2: The Ambush  
  
Link left Kokiri Forest as quick as he could without running. He couldn't bear knowing that Saria's sad eyes followed him all the way across the bridge and out into Hyrule field.  
  
He didn't look back as he stepped out from beneath the trees and stared out across the enormity of the landscape ahead of him. It was dusk, and the stars were already beginning to show in the dark, like tiny glowflies hovering, stationary, in the blackness.  
  
"Wow..." He whispered, staring across to the horizon where a great mountain reared into the sky, eventually merging so that he could not make out the height of it.  
"It is amazing, isn't it," Ryelle said with a little laugh as she glanced at her awestruck companion.   
"Have you...Did you know all this was out here?" Link asked her, turning his attention to his faerie.   
"Well, I've heard that it was big," Ryelle said as she landed gently on Link's outstretched hand. "But I must admit I wasn't expecting this."  
"I guess I'd better try find the King," Link mused, glancing at Ryelle, hoping for help.  
"Well, I'd say that we should head towards Hyrule Castle." Ryelle suggested, and flew ahead. "Come on, I'll lead you. I think this is the right way."  
  
Link set off after her, still staring about him in wonder at this world that he had never seen before.  
  
It was dark when Ryelle flew back, trembling, to Link.   
"Link," she hissed, fear evident in her voice, "there's creatures out there - three of them...Oh, Link, they're coming this way and they look fierce! Quick, follow me, we have to run!"  
  
But the two had barely gone a few metres across the grassy field when Link tripped and fell with a cry, rolling down an unseen slope before he managed to halt himself. Ryelle flew down at once but she could hear the panting and slavering of the three creatures that she had caught a glimpse of a few minutes ago, and they were getting nearer.   
  
"Link, are you all right?" She questioned urgently, but Link gave a little groan when he struggled to stand, and collapsed again, clutching his ankle. Ryelle gave a little whimper - the sounds were closer now.  
"I can't..."Link whispered a little tearfully, swinging his head round, searching desperately for the things that were making those ominous sounds. "What can I do, Ryelle?"  
But the faerie had no time to respond, for even as Link struggled to get up again, a huge, dark shape hurled itself at the boy and bore him heavily to the ground. Link shrieked in fright and kicked out frantically at the thing that he couldn't see. It leapt away from him with a low snarl, but he didn't know if it had gone, and when more snarls and growls sounded in the night, he knew that the thing was not alone.  
  
Ryelle was fluttering wildly overhead, calling out her friend's name and ducking and diving in the air in her distress, a brightly darting violet light that stood out, luminescent against the darkness of the night.   
  
Link meanwhile, was desperately trying to see his attackers, whilst everything in him screamed for him to run, to get away, but he knew that it would do no good, for his ankle would injured and even if he could run, he was unlikely to outdistance the unknown beasts.   
He could hear them breathing heavily, he knew they could see him, or smell him, because the first one that had attacked him had had no trouble finding him in the dark, but he couldn't see a thing.  
  
"Ryelle!" He called helplessly, "Ryelle, I can't see them!"  
Something brushed past his leg and he yelped, pitching forward and then suddenly he heard Ryelle's voice high-pitched and anxious, above the panic he was feeling.   
"The sword, Link! The sword!"  
  
Feverishly, Link tried to prise the sword from its sheath, but before he could he heard Ryelle shriek, "Link, watch out!"  
Before the young Kokiri could react, the heavy body of another creature was on top of him, and he was flat on his back, twisting and scrambling to get free, but the weight of the beast held him down, completely open to the creature's attacks. He heard its teeth snap a few inches away from his face and shoved his hands up into the thing's thick fur, trying to keep its teeth away from him.  
"Help, somebody, please help me!" Link cried out in desperation, but he knew there would be no one to help him.   
  
Ryelle could do nothing. She watched helplessly from above, calling Link's name brokenly and knowing she was helpless against her friend's attackers. The terrible feeling of uselessness came over her and she wept openly darting from one side to the other, frantically searching for a sign that Link was still alive under the hideous creature that had pinned him down.  
  
The creature's claws raked furiously at his chest, teeth still snapping wildly, easily ripping through fabric and flesh. Link whimpered in panic but he remembered the Kokiri's sword and with one hand still flailing wildly, striking the creature's muzzle and neck, he grasped the handle of the sword with his right hand, pulling it free and with a huge effort, stabbed the thing in its furry side. It howled in pain and fury and snapped at him again, almost catching his left hand in its jaws. But as Link struggled to free himself again, he met no resistance; the creature was dead. He pushed the heavy body away from him and staggered upright. Ryelle flew down, sobbing, questioning him frantically whether he was all right. Before he could answer, Ryelle yelled, "Behind you!"  
  
Link was almost knocked to the ground again as the second creature leapt at him from behind, claws catching at his shoulders, clinging to him and snapping its jaws at his neck, trying to get that fatal hold on the boy's throat. Link threw himself on his back, pinning the creature beneath him, hearing its whimper and it let go. Hastily, before it could escape into the dark again, Link slashed wildly at the dark, on his knees now, and heard the creature's wail as it died.  
"Link, the other one is leaving!" Ryelle called to him as she flew back down. "Are you all right?"  
Link shook his head weakly, but Ryelle, brisk suddenly, urged him up.  
"You've gotta keep moving Link, in case there are more out there somewhere," she cautioned. "Come on, we must be nearly there now!"  
  
Slowly, agonizingly, Link limped after his faerie again, trying to push away the fatigue and pain that threatened to overcome him.  
He did not know how far they had gone when he felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him and he staggered forwards and stopped, swaying. With a little moan, he collapsed, feeling the impact as he hit the ground moments before blackness took him...  
  
  
Oooh, I know I'm mean leaving it here...but never fear, there will be more. (grins) and Zelda'll make an appearance soon! (Just a little preview)  
Oh and for all Zelda fanatics out there, I'd like to take the opportunity to recommend a coupl'a sites to y'all...  
  
Adele Sessler is an amazing artist and author too! Check out her stuff here:  
  
http://teamsavezelda.com/adele/index.shtml - Click here for her first novel, 'Zelda'  
http://balder.prohosting.com/justyn/requiem/requiem.html - And here for the sequel, 'Requiem'  
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/a/d/adele/adele.html - If you wanna check out Adele's art click here.  
http://jove.prohosting.com/~sessler/ And here's the ultimate Zelda fansite! Tons of pictures and stuff by Adele and Min Rho, both of whom are excellent artists, may I say.  
  
http://hyrulianbeauty.homestead.com/FanArt.html - more Legend of Zelda art by a whole selection of artists.  
  
See for yourselves!  
OK, I'll go now. :)  
Peace, love and light to everyone  
CaraJade  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. 

Chapter 3: Destined to Meet  
  
Zelda swept her long blonde hair back into a loose ponytail, slipped her only pair of comfortable shoes on and proceeded quietly to the doorway. When she was satisfied that no-one was around, she shut the door again, hefted open the large window at the other side of her room and stuck her head out into the summery air. Blossom twirled lazily in spiralling circles as the breeze swept it from the tree close to the Princess' window. Zelda grinned, and swung herself carefully up onto the sill, feeling rather exhilarated as she always did when she snuck off.   
  
Impa had found out once, and Zelda had received such a scolding that she had, for a while, refrained from escaping the castle walls. But the urge to see what was going on beyond the palace was too strong, and soon she was slipping out again, though through the window now, since Impa had told the guards to be extra watchful at the doors.  
  
Zelda sighed as she thought of that. She was the Princess, and surely she should be allowed to leave the castle once in a while? Without a huge escort. She found it so much more exciting when there was that little flicker of danger in the back of her mind. But she knew she wouldn't get caught. She was far too good at disguising herself for that.  
  
She was wearing a simple white dress and a dark cloak, and in this garb, she fit in perfectly the other merchants and locals that came to barter or trade. Noone would ever suspect she was Zelda, princess and Heir to the Throne of Hyrule.   
Chuckling to herself, congratulating herself on her ingenuity, the thirteen year old edged along the sill, and jumped, hands outstretched.   
  
She caught the nearest tree branch expertly, swung there for a moment, then dropped, landing neatly on the grass. With a swift glance around the Palace garden, she ran softly to the steps leading down to the paved courtyard, and sidled along the wall, diving behind a clump of laurel bushes when the honorary guard marched through the gates of the castle. She wasn't heading for the gates, however, she was aiming for the little sidedoor that was quite hidden by vines on the left wall. It was quite hard to see unless you looked carefully, and Zelda knew that Impa thought it was locked.  
Two weeks ago, the princess had stolen, or as she preferred to call it, 'borrowed' the key from the big bunch that Mrs Timms, the jovial housekeeper kept, and then proceeded to hide it behind a loose stone in the wall.  
Taking it out from its hiding place, she unlocked the little door, and was soon racing down the dirt track towards the Market Town.   
  
  
Link, meanwhile, had woken to find himself face-down in the grass, his head feeling as though it had been hit repeatedly with a hammer. The pain in his ankle flared up again as he struggling into a sitting position. He fingered the cuts on his chest gingerly - he was lucky that no more of the creatures had attacked him while he lay unconscious. Ryelle, who had been nestled beside him, woke up and blinked sleepily. Then she seemed to remember what had happened and flew up into the air, like an arrow from a bow.  
She came fluttering down again though, and said urgently,  
"Link, someone's coming. Should we hide?"  
"I don't think I could move if a hundred of those monsters were coming right at me," Link replied wearily. "I'm sure that..." he trailed off, as a girl about his own age, her blonde hair just covered by the hood of her dark-blue cloak, came racing up towards him, a concerned expression on her face.  
  
Zelda had decided that she would head towards Lon-Lon Ranch, wondering whether Malon, the red-haired, cheerful little ranch-owner's daughter would let her ride one of the ranch's many horses again. Malon thought it was great that Zelda sneaked out, and kept promising to come and find her in the Market one day, but they had never got round to arranging it, and Malon had said that she wouldn't want to be caught skipping her chores.  
  
"Are you all right?" The princess asked breathlessly, as she skidded to a halt in front of Link. She eyed him curiously.  
"Was it the Wolfos?"  
"I don't know," Link replied truthfully; he had no idea what she was talking about, but then he realised she was probably referring to his scratches and torn tunic. He sat there, sizing the girl up. He wondered if she could help him find the king. He was about to ask when Zelda interrupted his thoughts.  
"Is that a fairy?"  
"Yeah, that's Ryelle," Link answered, distracted from his musings, giving the girl a smile.  
"So, you're Kokiri, then?" The girl asked, a puzzled frown crossed her face. "But I thought Kokiri never left the Forest!"  
"They don't," Link said miserably. "I'm not a Kokiri. At least, I thought I was, but I'm not, I'm Hylian. The Kokiri brought me up."   
It felt strange admitting that, and he watched the blonde haired girl for her reaction, but it didn't seem to bother her, she just nodded, and stared at Ryelle again, a delighted smile curving her lips.  
"I wish I had a fairy," she said absently. Then she seemed to come out of her reverie, and asked, "what's your name, then, fairy-boy?"  
"Link," he answered. "Who're you?"  
"My name's Zelda."  
Link stood up to offer his hand, and then almost fell over again as his ankle protested.   
"Oh!" Zelda exclaimed. "I forgot, you're hurt, come on, I'll take you to the Palace and we can get you cleaned up."  
"The Palace?" Link echoed, enquiringly.  
"Yeah, I live there. I told you, I'm Zelda, Princess of Hyrule."  
"Princess?!" Link repeated, incredulous. "You never told me you were a princess!"  
He looked at her appraisingly. "You don't look like a princess. Are you sure?"  
Zelda laughed. "Of course I'm sure, silly. I'm in disguise - I snuck off - I was so sick of staying inside, so I climbed out the window."  
"That doesn't sound very princess-like," Link grinned.  
Zelda grinned back.   
"Come on, fairy-boy. Let's go - you're lucky I found you."  
"My name is not fairy-boy," Link called indignantly as she started off back down towards the open drawbridge that led into the town.   
  
"Whatever, fairy-boy," she yelled back, cloak swirling in the wind. She stopped and waited for him to limp after her.  
  
"Hey, Link," Ryelle said quietly, alighting on his shoulder and surprising him. She had been very quiet for a while, since Zelda had arrived. "Do you think we can trust her?"  
"Why not?" Link asked, "she's going to help us, and she's a princess, or she says she is, so she can bring us to the king, just like the Great Deku Tree wanted."  
"Well, if you're sure," Ryelle cautioned, flying up again.   
  
Link joined Zelda and together they walked, or in Link's case, hobbled, towards the Market Town.  
"I had a dream last night," Zelda said, as they neared the drawbridge. She paused, to pull her hood over her hair again, and they walked past the guard without being stopped. "It had a fairy in it - I remember that much. Maybe it was a prophecy! Perhaps we were destined to meet."  
  
  



End file.
